Unclog a drain naturally with simple ingredients found in your pantry

By Kathy Finney

Colorful Canary / YouTube

Nothing puts a damper on your day than a clogged drain, especially in the kitchen. Running out to get an expensive bottle of some caustic chemical drain cleaner is hardly convenient, but neither can you let that clog go untreated. With these all-natural methods of fighting a clogged drain, you won't have to go further than your pantry to be on your way to a clean and clear kitchen drain.

1. Baking Soda and Vinegar:Pour about 1/3 cup of baking soda into the drain, then follow with 1/3 cup of vinegar. Immediately pour down the drain. Let it sit for at least one hour before flushing with hot water. The visible fizzing action is what helps remove grime and build-up from the pipes claims Wise Bread.

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Robin Kornie on Thank Your Body uses twice the vinegar, pouring half at a time. Once the fizzing has stopped, she pours in the other half before letting plugging the drain with a stopper and letting sit for 30 minutes. She then follows up with boiling water poured directly down the drain. For very stubborn clogs, she recommends 2 - 3 applications.

2. Baking Soda and SaltIf you find yourself out of vinegar, you can try another method suggested by Wise Bread. Mix equal parts salt and baking soda and pour it down the clogged drain. Leave in for 20 minutes before pouring boiling water down the drain. "The salt, baking soda, and boiling water will produce a chemical reaction that should dissolve some of the nastiest blockages."

3. Boiling WaterIf you are out of salt and baking soda, perhaps a trip to the store is in order anyway. But before heading out and picking up a chemical drain cleaner, try boiling water. Boil as much water as you can in a kettle or pot you can easily handle. Then pour it into the drain in stages, allowing the water to break down any build up between pours.

Keeping the drain clearTo avoid future clogs and build-up, Deborah Lewis of Chowhound shared this tip she got from a plumber: Every 3 months, pour about a cup of white vinegar down your pipes then flush with hot water. Colorful Canary uses both vinegar and baking soda to maintain a clean drain and adds an extra touch to keep the sink drain smelling fresh that she shared in the video below.

Not only will these methods save you some cash in the short run, it'll also save you in the long run. Those harsh chemical cleaners can eat away at pipes, eventually leading to a leak and a much more expensive repair job.